For the Scrubs character, see Janitor A janitor is a person who takes care of a building, such as a school, office building, or apartment block. Janitors are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often (though not always) some maintenance and security. Titles Janitor is derived from the Latin word Janus meaning "doorkeeper"(see also building superintendent). A female janitor was formerly called a janitress. (The title custodian is sometimes given to janitors merely as a term of higher respect, however, generally speaking, custodians tend to have higher salaries, and more responsibilities. They may also be required to receive training and licensing in various fields [LINK: e.g.,] Hazmat, CPR, Boiler Operations, etc., depending on their employer and the specific nature of their job. In these respects a custodian